Excessive body weight is associated with additional loss of quality of life in children with asthma

Abstract

Excessive body weight is associated with additional loss of quality of life in children with asthma van Gent, R.; van der Ent, C.K.; Rovers, M.M.; Kimpen, J.L.L.; Essen-Zandvliet, L.E.M.; de Meer, G. Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum. Background: Asthma and excessive body weight frequently coexist, whereas the exact relationship between the 2 diseases is unknown. Objective: To study whether asthma combined with excessive body weight has a greater effect on quality of life in children than the separate effects of asthma or excessive body weight alone. Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 1758 school children (age 7-10 years) participated: 4 study groups were composed of children with asthma and with/without excessive body weight, and healthy controls with/without excessive body weight. Diagnosis of asthma was defined by either a doctor's diagnosis or by core questions of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire in combination with either reversible airway obstruction or bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Excessive body weight was defined by using international cutoff points for body mass index. Quality of life was evaluated by the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. Results: For all domains of quality of life, children with both asthma and excessive body weight had lower scores than children with either asthma alone or excessive body weight alone. Compared with healthy controls, the score was 25% lower in children with asthma and excessive body weight, 14% lower in children with asthma and normal weight, and only 1% lower in overweight controls. Conclusion: Excessive body weight is associated with an additional decrease in quality of life in children with asthma. Clinical implications: Clinicians should be aware of the interaction between asthma and excessive body weight and the effect on quality of life and should give extra attention to children with both conditions. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2007;119:591-6.)

Quality of Life and Health Outcomes in Overweight and Non-Overweight Children With Asthma

“…Quality of life was evaluated using the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ). For all three domains of quality of life; symptoms, emotions, and activity, children with both asthma and excessive body weight had lower scores than children with either asthma alone or excessive body weight alone (P<.01) (van Gent et al, 2007). One of the limitations of this study was the use of the PAQLQ to measure QOL in children, who did not have asthma, and then use that data to measure QOL.…”

“…Of the studies examined for this review, all used a comparative study design (Annett et al, 2001;Blandon Vijil et al, 2004;Friedlander et al, 2003;Gibson, Henry et al, 1995;Okelo et al, 2004;Pinhas-Hamiel et al, 2006;Ravens-Sieberer et al, 2001;Schwimmer et al, 2003;Swallen et al, 2005;van Gent et al, 2007;Williams et al, 2005). Comparative designs are hypothesis-testing approaches designed to build support for theory (Brink & Wood, 1998).…”

“…In conclusion, the reviewed studies by Ravens-Sieberer (2001), Blandon Vijil (2004), and van Gent (2007 are similar in that they all examined quality of life, obesity, and asthma in children and all were conducted outside the United States. In addition, all three studies found that children with obesity have the highest rate of impairment in quality of life.…”

“…The third and final study reviewed was conducted in the Netherlands using a cross-sectional study design of 1758 school children age 7 to 10 years (van Gent et al, 2007). Quality of life was evaluated using the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ).…”

“…In addition, all three studies found that children with obesity have the highest rate of impairment in quality of life. Taking this concept further, the studies by Blandon Vijil (2004) andvan Gent (2007), using the PAQLQ, found that obesity combined with asthma significantly lowered QOL scores. It is important for these findings to be replicated and expanded on by researchers here in the U.S. in order to determine ways to improve the quality of life of obese children with asthma.…”